Twist of Fate
by rancoroftheheart
Summary: Shepard regrets one thing as she dies. Never telling him how she felt. Now that she's been brought back she has two goals. Defeat the Reapers and make him hers. Oneshot. FShep/Joker


Disclaimer: I love my Eliza. Mass Effect Universe isn't mine. Blah, blah, fanfiction business, blah. Hope you liiiiike it. I was inspired and excited over the ME3 trailers so I figured it was fanfic time! Review for me my lovelies! Rancor loves ya.

Twist of Fate

-Rancoroftheheart

Eliza Shepard had died. She had been aboard SSV Normandy SR-1. Team mate Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams had successfully evacuated a majority of the crew before an even larger explosion rocked the ship.

Shepard's N7 armor had kicked on the gravity portion control into overdrive as she opened the door to control room. What was left of the galaxy map flickered; the top section of the Normandy had been ripped open; exposing the planet that would soon be its resting place. She controlled her breathing, walking carefully to the Normandy's cockpit. She could see the barrier surrounding Joker and the controls. She groaned inwardly as she shoved dislodged control chairs out of her way.

"Joker!"

She entered the barrier, "We have to go now!"

Shepard remembered trying to get Joker to leave the cockpit as another powerful beam demolished what was left of the Normandy. She remembered his face as she got spaced.

Eliza Shepard. As a kid she lived in a colony named Mindoir. If you had asked anyone 30 years before the attack if they knew anything about Mindoir they'd say no. But after the Batarian slavers hit the colony most soldiers of the Systems Alliance could tell you about the tragedy. She had survived that. And she survived the Blitz. Hell she was called a hero after that. She helped take out a Reaper, killed an indoctrinated Saren and survived the battle on the Presidium. But…she knew she wouldn't survive this.

The air in her suit quickly began to seep out into the cold expanse around her. Shepard tried to stop the leaks, she tried to hold on. Her N7 suit began to heat up and she started to lose consciousness. The remains of the Normandy became a blur and blackness took over. As she was pulled into the planet below her she kept thinking of one thing. How she regretted never telling him how she felt. Screw the fraternization regs of the Alliance. If by some twist of fate that she could ever…ever…tell him…

* * *

><p>Miranda Lawson swelled with pride over her pet project. Wilson may have almost ruined the whole thing but the commander had woken up! Her green eyes had locked with Miranda's blue ones and she had even reached out for her from the pain. Her Lazarus Project, against all odds, all pre-existing medical advances, had worked. Yes, Shepard still had a long way to go, psyche evaluations, physical tests, scarring, but in a few more months this would all be just one more reason for the Illusive Man to have more confidence in his operative.<p>

* * *

><p>Shepard covered her face with her hands; her auburn clung to her face lightly and trailed down just past her shoulders, she was leaning over in her seat, elbows partially on her knees. It wasn't as comfortable as it would have been without her armor. Across from her sat the Cerberus operatives; Miranda Lawson and Jacob Taylor. The small shuttle they were taking to a different Cerberus station was flying smoothly but Shepard felt dizzy and wanted desperately to lie down in the floor. Had she really been brought back? Was this a twist that shouldn't have been possible? Or is this all just some sick joke? A personal hell, showing her what could have been. A whole 'look at what you missed out on Eliza.'<p>

She knit her eyebrows together as Lawson started bickering with Taylor about checking on her memory. The ex-Alliance soldier vouched for her combat abilities but it just wasn't enough for the Lazarus project leader.

"Shepard. You remember the raiders that took your home colony and what you did afterwards?"

Eliza stroked an elegant auburn eyebrow, her head pounding. She sat up straight and looked at Lawson. "Yes. I remember my friend's head's being blown off. I remember seeing one of my teachers being tortured by a Batarian with a grudge. I remember the screams, the fires, and the feeling of being helpless…" She looked out the shuttle's window for a second then back to Lawson. Taylor looked like he was about to die in his seat, eyes wide and worried. "I remember the man who pried me out of a cage after he shot the Batarian who put me there. When I saw his Systems Alliance armor and emblem…I knew that was my future. The only future I could ever have."

Jacob took a quick breath and intervened before Shepard could continue or before Miranda could disapprove of his actions. "When you turned 18 you signed up for the Alliance. You climbed the ranks pretty quick Commander and your win at the Blitz helped your acceleration greatly."

Miranda nodded. "Commander you fought hard in the Blitz. Why? Besides your duty of course?"

Eliza stroked her eyebrow again; perhaps she thought the migraine would magically go away? "I wanted to protect my fellow marines, to hold the defensive line; I wasn't going to accept a failure. Not with so many lives at stake. I was going to win or die trying."

"No one here is questioning any of your loyalty or commitment Commander. We know what you've accomplished and you've made humanity proud. See Miranda, the memories are all there. Let her relax and you can run some tests later," Jacob looked to Miranda for confirmation.

"A couple more questions will have to suffice for now Jacob." Without missing so much as a heartbeat she continued her unscheduled evaluation. "Commander, while hunting for the rogue Spectre, Saren, you found his Krogan breeding facility, in order to stop his attempt at building an army you had to detonate a nuclear weapon. Lt. Alenko stayed behind to manually activate the bomb-" Shepard took a deep breath, attempted to control her emotions and cut off Miranda's recollections of what happened on Virmire. "I left a fellow soldier and friend to die that day. Something that I did not do lightly, Kaiden gave his life for all of ours, he made us all proud. I only regret that we did not all make it off of that planet. I of course speak of the Salarian Special Tasks Group soldiers too."

Miranda gently nodded her head, "I understand Shepard. You truly have put humanity higher up on the societal ladder so to speak. Councilor Anderson is no politician but he has done very well on the Citadel. But, I do have one more question; simply out of curiosity. What were your last thoughts as you were watching the Normandy explode…as you were pulled into the planetary atmosphere?"

Miranda Lawson was not smiling or smirking as she asked this question. It's okay Eliza it's just a question. It's common for people to ask what you thought as you were dying, or in this case as you died. It's not like she already knows the answer. Jacob squinted in Miranda's general direction before returning his attention back to Shepard.

"I…," don't pause too long, she'll get suspicious, "I was cursing the Reapers."

You liar. Jacob cracked a grin and Miranda smirked. "I would expect no less from our spirited commander." It was a line that Shepard hadn't imagined coming from the woman in front of her, but it made her feel better. It's okay to have some secrets right? She thought of his cocky grin and wise-ass comments.

* * *

><p>Shepard took in the holo-chamber around her, these had improved since she died, she stared at the Illusive Man, and her arms were crossed. She had changed her armor before meeting with him. She wore the Aegis vest and the rest of her N7 armor, all shining a dark red color, white underlay and spine, with white striping down her right arm. The contrast against her light skin, and shoulder length auburn hair was stunning. She was known to on occasion use her looks to her advantage. Though only under torture would Ashley recall the lap-dance Shepard had given the C-Sec scum Harkin to get information on where to find Garrus. Ha. Good times. Ash. Shepard fought back another migraine and sighed. "We. Are. Not. Friends. So stop with the playing nice." Her facial scaring glowed very lightly, they were already healing well. A couple weeks of tea and yoga Eliza?<p>

The Illusive Man blinked in surprise, he exhaled a fluid-stream of smoke from his mouth. "Alright. Do what you see fit. Look over the dossiers and talk with Lawson. This is your mission Shepard, humanity depends on your success."

"Yeah. I'll do what I can. Just do me one thing. If anyone from my old team becomes available for recruitment message me."

He flicked his cigarette over his ash tray and smirked. Eliza felt nauseous. She was pretty sure he was trying to look through her armor. "I thought as much. You'll need a pilot you can trust, the best." Eliza heard footsteps come up behind her in the holo-chamber. She spun and looked at Joker. "I trust tha-," Shepard ended the transmission before being dismissed by the Illusive Man.

"Joker!"

Jeff Moreau limped up to her, head held high, "Hey Commander."

Shepard cracked first and let out the widest grin she could manage. "Hell! I guess your weak ass made it after all!"

"Pfffft. Come one. I had to practically drag you away from the Normandy!" He joked about it but was still sad that she wasn't able to escape with him in the pod. He always felt guilt about their Commander dying. Eliza would have survived if he hadn't fought her about leaving the SR-1. She doesn't regret a thing. "Least we'll be in this shit storm together, right?" The pilot asked.

"Hahaha. Yeah, maybe now I won't hate this whole Cerberus thing?" She felt better knowing someone she trusted was in this too. They walked up some stairs, Shepard followed her favorite helmsman to whatever destination he was meant to take her to.

"I wouldn't normally choose to work with Cerberus, after the mess you had to deal with Admiral Kahoku and Corporal Toombs, ugh, but after you died the whole team was disbanded, we were your team Commander, and Alliance brass even clipped my wings. I had to fly somehow. Cerberus gave me that back. So I'll accept their paychecks. Gladly."

"Do you trust them?"

"Whaaaat! I don't trust anyone who makes more than I do. Cept you Commander."

Eliza smiled and stopped in front of a glass window, next to Joker. She looked at him quizzically and at the dark room beyond the glass. "Joker?"

The lights on the other side started to click on. "Surprise. We need a ship to save the galaxy right? Isn't it beautiful?"

Eliza touched her left hand against the glass and leaned in, "Damn. She's gorgeous and easily twice the size of the SR-1."

"I can't wait to put her through her paces. Imma make her purr Commander."

She pushed off of the glass and looked at him, "I bet you will. She needs a name Joker and I can't think of any better name then the-," he smiled and adjusted his hat.

"The Normandy. My thoughts exactly. Let's get onboard. Lawson and your whole crew are awaiting orders." He limped ahead of her and she followed towards the access ramp.

"Oh Joker," she whispered. He glanced behind him as he continued on. "Say something Commander?"

"No, let's get onboard Joker. I'll race ya!" She took off and was ahead of him in no time. He laughed and shook his head. Eliza slinked back up to him after a bit and walked beside him the rest of the way. Both of them were smiling. As she walked beside him she promised herself two things. One; that she would defeat the Reapers…somehow. And two; that she would make Joker _her_ helmsman.

Whether this was by chance really a personal hell showing her what she missed or not Eliza Shepard was going to fully take advantage of this perfectly dangerous twist of fate.


End file.
